(Yahoo!) - Everyone loves Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington. When he hasn't been rocking with his main outfit, he's been performing with other prominent musicians. In 2009 he recorded a full album, Out of Ashes, with the side project Dead by Sunrise; and he's appeared on tracks by Santana, Chris Cornell, Disturbed, Young Buckand even Motley Crue.

Also — in early summer he became the newsinger for Stone Temple Pilots. And even ex-Stone Temple Pilots vocalist Scott Weilandlikes the guy, despite the fact that Weiland's in the middle of a lawsuit with his former band mates.

"I've known Chester for a long time. I got to be pretty close with him on the (2001) Family Values Tour," Weiland told Billboard. "I don't think Chester did it in a spiteful way. The [Stone Temple Pilots] brothers [guitarist Dean and bassist Robert] DeLeo can be pretty persuasive."

Before he rejoins Linkin Park to play the Sunset Strip Music Festival in West Hollywood on August 3, Bennington wrapped up vocals on four Stone Temple Pilots songs, which will be released on a five-song EP. The recording will include "Out of Time," which was released by STP May 19. The new EP is tentatively scheduled for a fall release, and the band will launch a tour September 4.

While he doesn't blame Bennington for joining Stone Temple Pilots, Weiland says the DeLeos exhibited poor judgment by hiring a new singer without even contacting Weiland, who found out through social media that he was out of the band.